Ashley Young long-time and proud resident of the PNW. While she's lived in different states on opposite sides of the country, including Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and California, Ashley and her long-term partner Michael grew up in Tacoma and settled back here in 2017 to raise their two young children.

Ashley grew up singing and performing in church and high school. She was a soprano and alto for the Henry Foss High School competition jazz and chamber choirs. From there she went on to travel two years with a performing arts non-profit organization doing assembly shows for elementary students on the weekday and performing at churches throughout the country. It was with this organization that she performed in Pigeon Forge, TN (home of the famous Dollywood) doing musical theater. In her personal music endeavors she has performed with bands such as Phunkatron and the Double Duce Horns.

In her career, Ashley has spent over a decade in hospitality, as a corporate and social event planner, director, and venue manager for several venues in San Diego, Seattle, and Tacoma. In her time as a government employee, Ashley has acted as the liaison for committees such as the Des Moines Arts Commission.

In her new role with City of Tacoma, Ashley is the Community Events Coordinator working with the Tacoma Venues and Events Department. She oversees Special Event Permits and is the liaison to the City [of Tacoma] Events and Recognition’s Committee, who host the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration and the City of Destiny Awards. In addition, she has overseen grant programs for arts and culture, applied for program funding, and worked hand in had with tourism marketing organizations.

Though Ashley’s involvement with performing arts has evolved over the years, she is passionate about providing access to those who may otherwise not have it, supporting career paths for events and arts, and finding new ways to engage the community in arts and culture.